84 Spree power issue

[werkinfool]

Hello,
New here!
I have an 84 Spree with the symptoms of fuel starvation.
It starts OK and idles well.

Once started from cold, it hesitates until warm.
When I take off, it goes up to speed with no problems.
Once there, it has power for only a few minutes, then lags off until barely running, particularly when climbing a grade. If I feather the throttle, I can nurse it home, but if I get on it, it just dies out.

I have cleaned the tank, the fuel shutoff valve, replaced the hoses, cleaned the carb several times. I have checked fuel flow to the carb and there seems to be plenty getting down there.

Cranks over well. I have replaced the small wire coming from the battery with a new one with an inline fuse due to corrosion and lost continuity.

Has anyone had this type of problem?

Thanks in advance! Mark

[Videonut]

Yea
check
1. air filter, may be getting old and fibers are getting into engine.
2. when you cleaned the carb did you use the little guitar string to clean that little jet?? if not search for that and maybe clean again
3. check the rollers in the clutch and see if they are getting flat spots.
4 im sure there is more.....come on guys this is an easy one

[Trafficjamz]

Yea
check
1. air filter, may be getting old and fibers are getting into engine.
2. when you cleaned the carb did you use the little guitar string to clean that little jet?? if not search for that and maybe clean again
3. check the rollers in the clutch and see if they are getting flat spots.
4 im sure there is more.....come on guys this is an easy one

#3 does not apply to a spree.

An 84 spree is ultra sensitive to air box leaks. check there first.

[werkinfool]

Thanks.
I tried running without an air cleaner. No difference. New plug. Has anyone ever seen a reed valve problem also cause low power?
How about exhaust? Sounds throaty enough, but...
As far as jets are concerned, I see the main one is clear. Is there another orifice I am missing?

[Bear45-70]

If the reeds were bad enough to cause a problem while running, starting would be next to impossible and if it did finally start idle would be so bad, you would not expect in to run above idle. Your problem sound like a classic missing or tore up air filter. Or a major air leak in the air box or intake to the carb. The Spree does not want to run above idle without a complete and sealed air intake system. If it runs the same without the air box as you said, then you have an air leak in the box or intake tube.

[werkinfool]

As in, loose air cleaner cover?

[martynkim]

Loose cover would give all kinds of running issues.

[werkinfool]

I'll have another chance to look at it tomorrow night, or Monday. The air cleaner cover does not stay put. The tabs are sort of tired or maybe it got hot and warped.

[Bear45-70]

I'll have another chance to look at it tomorrow night, or Monday. The air cleaner cover does not stay put. The tabs are sort of tired or maybe it got hot and warped.

So get some nylon tie straps and secure it.

[patthesoundguy]

I did this today to be sure that my airbox is seled up! the gasket was fine but one corner of the cover had some play in it so I took some of the foam that is for sealing a truckcap to the bed and cut a thin strip and put it over the gasket and I feel better about it now. and I ditched the clamp for the hose to carb connection and used a real hose clamp. Way better i can be sure it i not leaking there. So many ways for a spree engine to go lean I'm finding.

[Videonut]

ya but did it work???

[patthesoundguy]

Seems better, it seemed to be running fine before, its just that some plugchops say Lean. hard to tell untill I get my airfilter that is on order. the originaal one is close to death. Im avoiding too much driving untill I get it, and some more fresh plugs for some chops. Im very scared of burning it up so i am going through evrything one piece at a time to be on the safe side. I even put a better hose clamp on the vacum line to be sure.

[patthesoundguy]

Seems better, it seemed to be running fine before, its just that some plugchops say Lean. hard to tell untill I get my airfilter that is on order. the originaal one is close to death. Im avoiding too much driving untill I get it, and some more fresh plugs for some chops. Im very scared of burning it up so i am going through evrything one piece at a time to be on the safe side. I even put a better hose clamp on the vacum line to be sure.

Had the spree out today and put about 25 miles on it, I diddnt have the chance to do a plug chop yet, but it feels better all around, WOT is better I lost a couple MPH in the top end but it is now where it should be for an 84 28mph on the spreedo on the nose no more no less. Warm up time is non existant now pretty much. throttle response is peppy and smooth from about 10mph to 28mph.
Cant wait to get out tomorw and do a plug chop to confirm.

[werkinfool]

I had time to look at it tonight. Sure enough, the 3 clips that hold the cover on were not engaged. I drove it several blocks with no more sagging or loss of power.


Gentlemen, you are the Bomb !!!!

[JJ Joseph]

I tried running without an air cleaner. No difference.

Agreed on the air filter. A Spree won't run worth a hoot without its airbox and Honda sponge-bob filter. That said, the Spree has never been that good when starting off cold, simply because it doesn't have a variator to keep the revs up. And the carb has to be really clean. I take the carb apart and soak it in toluene. Toluene is only about $7 for a whole litre at Home Depot, and if you leave the carb in a jar of the stuff overnight, it cleans all that crusty stuff off and it comes out looking factory new. Don't put the neoprene gaskets in the toluene because they swell up (they shrink back to shape when warm & dry). Blow out the choke jet, idle jet and main jets using a WD-40 spray (so you don't need to buy an air compressor). The idle jet & main jet can be removed for soaking, but the choke jet is fixed in place in the carb bowl. Check the bystarter choke for correct operation by hooking it up to 12v. It should get warm, and the needle should extend about 3mm (1/8"). If your Spree battery is dead, the bystarter won't work because it needs a full 12v, and your Spree doesn't put out enough volts at slow speed.